Abstract： Objective To study the effects of mild hypothermia on cardiomyocyte contractility improvement after ischemia-repeffusion injury and on the preservation of well-functioning mitochondrial respiratory capability.Methods A total of 50 newborn SD rats 1 ～ 2 days after delivery were sacrificed and their hearts taken to preserved in 4 ℃ cold D-hanks buffer solution with 0.12％ pancreatic proteinase and collagenase and then processed with 37 ℃ water bath to collect the cardiomyocytes cultured in DMEM medium with 10％ FBS for 5 days.The cardiomyocytes of rats were subjected to ischemia/reperfusion,in vitro,by oxygen and glucose deprivation(OGD)/oxygen and glucose restoration(OGR).The cardiomyocytes of rats after ischemia/reperfusion were divided into three groups:control group,hypothemia group and normothermia group.Contractile frequency and velosity were determined before OGD and 0 h,0.5h,1 h,1.5 h and 2 h after OGR.Ultrastructure changes of cardiomyocytes and mitochondrion were observed under transmission electron microscope(TEM)0 h and 2 h after OGR as well as assessment ot respiratory rate and respiratory control rate(RCR)with Clark oxygen electrode in each group.All data were analyzed with statistical software of SPSS 13.0.Results Contractile function of cardiomyocytes in hypothermia group and normothermia group declined to nadir at 0 h after OGR(P =0.000)and the contractile function of cardiomyocytes in hypothermia group was improved one hour later,compared with the normothermia group(P =0.000).Obvious swelling of mitochondrion was observed under TEM in normothermia group with little alteration after OGR.The RCR assessments indicated respiratory function in normothermia group was impaired after OGR(P =0.000)and this may be responsible for contractility dysfunction.Conclusions Mild hypothemia used after ischaemia can optimize the contractility of cardiomyocytes after a normothermia OGR,and the well-functioning respiratory capability of mitochondrion may be preserved in this process.